Rapid response with laser-based instrumentation during an active volcanic eruption
Context
Active volcanic eruptions represent one of the most extreme natural environments for in-situ material analysis. High temperatures, hazardous gases, unstable terrain and restricted access make conventional sampling and laboratory analysis impractical during active phases. Nevertheless, rapid chemical information is crucial to support scientific interpretation and decision-making during an eruption.
Challenge
The deployment of analytical instrumentation in an active volcanic environment requires extremely short response times, operation under severe environmental constraints, remote and non-contact measurements, and reliable performance without the possibility of iterative field adjustments. Conventional laboratory instruments or long development cycles are not viable.
Instrumentation approach
During the La Palma volcanic eruption, the group rapidly designed, integrated and deployed a dedicated stand-off laser-based analytical instrument tailored to the constraints of an active volcanic environment. Building upon its accumulated experience in LIBS at high-temperature, portable and field-deployable laser instrumentation, the system was made operational within a two-week timeframe, with priority given to robustness, operational simplicity and safe remote operation rather than to laboratory optimization. For the first time, in-situ LIBS measurements were successfully performed directly on high-temperature lava during an ongoing volcanic eruption, demonstrating the feasibility of obtaining chemical information under conditions where no conventional analytical technique could be applied.
Collaboration
This work initiated a close collaboration with the Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME-CSIC), combining field geology expertise under emergency conditions with advanced optical instrumentation for real-time material analysis. The experience gained during this deployment directly influenced subsequent projects addressing contaminated mining environments and large-scale material assessment.
Outcomes and impact
The volcanic deployment demonstrated that reliable chemical information can be obtained under extreme and rapidly evolving conditions, that dedicated instrumentation can be designed and deployed on timescales incompatible with conventional research projects, and that field-driven constraints can be effectively translated into robust analytical solutions. Beyond its immediate scientific value, this experience served as a catalyst for later projects, including REMINLASER and TRACE, and established a new paradigm for rapid-response analytical instrumentation within the group.
Status
Completed.